HibeeJibee

Not seen it mentioned but Dalkeith had unusually 'exotic' friendly on Saturday, when they hosted Californian side Temecula FC who are touring Scotland and northern England... they hail from what is effectively the American tier 5 (having played in tier 4 until last year) but Dalkeith swatted them aside 4-1. They're undertaking an old fashioned-style tour with a game most days: drew 1-1 with Scoutable Utd at Nethercraigs on Friday then face Consett tomorrow, Newcastle Benfield on Thursday and Heaton Stannington on Friday. Temecula FC | Temecula CA | Facebook

Pretty clear that Mexico have only been given 2 stadiums worth of games but they've been split across 3 venues (each Mexican ground has only 4 or 5 games while every other stadium get 6 or 7... indeed New York, Los Angeles and Atalanta get 8 while whoever negotiated for Dallas has managed to bag 9 which is more than Guadaljara + Monterrey combined). Startling how little they or Canada are involved though... each receive only 2x Last 32 and 1x Last 16 ties, no ties at all thereafter, with a sop of the Mexicans getting the opening match. Very much USA with some bolt-ons.

Opening game on Thursday; also unusual distributions... ... only 2 games per day for first 2 days of groupstage; then 4 games per day for rest of matchdays 1 & 2; then 6 games per day (at 3 times) for matchdays 3 ... Round of 32 spread over 6 days (only 1 game on day 1 being Sunday 28th June) ... QFs spread over 3 days (only 1 game on days 1 & 2) ... no games on Sunday 12th July

Here's a nice example from 1952 when Scotland apparently faced 'Ireland' twice in space of 6 weeks in Glasgow and Dublin; former being at Ibrox, you can guess which Ireland it actually is... ... then in 1954...

Flag of the Commonwealth of Independent States - Wikipedia Former flag[edit] Before the flag was adopted, a provisional flag just showing the letters "C.I.S." on a white background was used, e.g. at sporting events where a Commonwealth team replaced the Soviet Union when the Soviet Union had qualified for but never came to before it was dissolved. Former flag of the CIS Scottish League Cup - Wikipedia

Tbf it has always been a way of ensuring clarity if referring to both, as more chance of confusion or mistake with 'Northern Ireland' and 'Ireland', particularly during the period before the prefix "Republic of" was adopted. Obviously legal issues and emotions were fresher in 1930s & 1940s too. Football-wise both called themselves Ireland: it wasn't until 1953 that FIFA ordered them 'Republic of Ireland' and 'Northern Ireland' respectively. However in the British Home Championship, Amateur Championship, etc. the north remained simply Ireland until 1970s. To this day it's "Irish Football Association" and the league only became "Northern Ireland" in 2013 having been Irish League until 2003 and IPL until 2008. Most recent example on Ebay is 1992:

Ireland v Netherlands officially. EDIT: Article 4 of the Irish constitution adopted in 1937 by the government under Éamon de Valera states "Éire is the name of the state, or in the English language, Ireland ".[6] Initially, after 1937 the United Kingdom insisted on using only the name "Eire" and refused to accept the name "Ireland". It adopted the Eire (Confirmation of Agreements) Act 1938 putting in law that position. At the 1948 Summer Olympics in London the organisers insisted that the Irish team march under the banner "Eire" notwithstanding that every other team was marching according to what their name was in English.

Hardaker chaired the Football Ground Improvements Trust (later Football Trust) that partly funded the new stand. He also chaired Spot the Ball. He died of a heart attack just a few weeks later.

Oriam's downside is being refrigerator-esque tbh! It's an 8,000 seater and they'll presumably want pitch in top nick for Edinburgh + womens side, women/youth internationals, finals, etc... wouldn't SRU ask a big rent?

Wikipedia cites 3+ as: 5: 4: 3: Then again...

If successful the Leopards will have won this competition under 3 different names - Congo Kinshasha, Zaire, and DR Congo - which would presumably be unique in international football?

Venue remains unconfirmed for this midweek's tie AFAICS. Scurrilous rumours on FN claim Forres, Huntly, Lossiemouth and/or Turriff were asked to host but declined.

Weirdly it'd actually require special permission, and approval of other SPFL clubs: Covered Stadia H2 No League Match or Play-Off Match shall take place at any stadium where the playing area is permanently covered or partially covered by a fixed or moveable roof without the prior written approval of the Board after consultation with the Clubs.

What are the other options, though? Easter Road, Tynecastle and presumably the Edinburgh Rugby ground are surely non-starters. Ainslie Park and Meggetland are fully subscribed. Marine Drive and Saughton aren't suitable. As discussed previously that leaves you with Edinburgh University at New East Peffermill (surely requiring investment for your needs given it only has 100 seats - there was planning permission to double that to 200): or Watsonians rugby at Myreside (which is quite heavily subscribed as they've a Super 6 side): because Edinburgh Academical, Heriots and Stewarts Melville don't have floodlights.

TNS winning would be a new low. Remember too SPFL have bowed to Brian Graham - and moved the Womens League Cup Final back to Sunday 24th... will this mean the Challenge Cup Final being on the Saturday lunchtime or evening? Saturday further increases likelihood of Livingston or Kilmarnock (or Raith?) - everybody else have their own games that day.

Newtongrange have still to play Camelon, Dunipace twice, St Andrews and Whitburn: so very much in own hands to stop lead being eroded. Dunipace as noted have just to play Newtongrange.

Justin McNulty: SDLP suspend MLA who left Stormont for GAA game - BBC News A nationalist SDLP assembly member has been suspended from the party after quitting Stormont early "without permission" to manage a Gaelic football team - on the day politicians returned after an absence of two years. Justin McNulty attended the first sitting of the NI Assembly on Saturday but left before proceedings ended. It later emerged he had driven to County Wexford where his team, Laois, were playing a match. Mr McNulty was appointed Laois manager last October. He was on the sideline when his team took on Wexford in Division Four of the National League at 18:00 local time - Laois won by 10 points. However, he missed his party colleague Mathew O'Toole being nominated as leader of the official opposition. The SDLP confirmed in a statement that the party has now suspended the whip from the Newry and Armagh assembly member (MLA), who won an All-Ireland title with Armagh in 2002. A spokesman said Mr McNulty left today's sitting of the assembly without "seeking permission" and did not return for "important parliamentary" business which included the SDLP taking up its role as official opposition at Stormont.

Tuesday 30th January (R4) St Andrews 0-2 Kennoway Saturday 3rd February Cowdenbeath 0-6 East Kilbride Johnstone Burgh 1-2 Threave Rovers Kennoway Star Hearts P-P Ashfield Kilwinning Rangers 3-2 Shotts Bon Accord Kirkintilloch Rob Roy 4-1 Pollok Rutherglen Glencairn 0-0 Cumbernauld Colts (aet, 3-4p) Tranent 4-1 Broxburn Athletic Troon 3-0 Caledonian Braves Tranent outclassed Broxburn on an initially blustery afternoon before several hundred at Foresters. They led 2-0 at break courtesy a stroked home effort and penalty... then added 2 more with a tap-in and header both from left wing crosses. Athletic got their consolation from a neat curving header. Kennoway - whose tie v Ashfield was off, after burst pipes flooded the dressing rooms - are last EOSL side standing in what's turned-out a disappointing campaign.

Saturday 3rd February (R3) Dundonald 3-1 Haddington (R3) Musselburgh 6-0 Harthill Saturday 10th February (R5) Dunipace v St Andrews Wednesday 14th February (R4) Uni of Stirling v Musselburgh Tuesday 20th February (R4) Dundonald v Dunbar Tuesday 27th February (R5) Dundonald/Dunbar v Uni of Stirling/Musselburgh (R5) Gala v Inverkeithing (R5) Tranent v Broxburn

Saturday 3rd February (R1) Burntisland 3-1 Edinburgh Utd (R1) Lochore 1-0 Edinburgh Community (R1) Oakley 4-1 Hawick St Andrews 4-2 Edinburgh South Saturday 10th February (R1) Harthill v Thornton Arniston v Preston Blackburn v Lochore Burntisland v Stoneyburn Kirkcaldy & Dysart v Bo'ness Athletic Ormiston v Vale of Leithen Newtongrange v Coldstream Pumpherston v Newburgh West Calder v Oakley

Tuesday 30th January (SF) Kelty Hearts 1-4 University of Stirling Kelty fielded near enough their first XI, controlled most of opening half, and led... but the students levelled shortly before break, then hit 3 in quick succession around the hour mark to stun the Fifers from 2 tiers above. Crowd be 150-200. Edinburgh City & University of Stirling meet in the showpiece.

Ferguson shipyard issues new ferry delay warning - BBC News The delivery date for a CalMac ferry being built at the Ferguson Marine shipyard is set to slip again as the yard faces new supplier problems. Delays in obtaining specialist pipework mean the LNG gas system on the dual-fuel Glen Sannox cannot be fully commissioned until late May. CalMac will then conduct weeks of sea trials before the ship enters service. The yard has now put back the launch of a second ferry MV Glen Rosa by four weeks to focus on Glen Sannox. Both ferries being built at Port Glasgow were originally due for delivery in 2018 but have been beset by repeated design and construction problems. The yard had hoped to deliver Glen Sannox by the end of March but Ferguson Marine chief executive David Tydeman said that late May was now the planned date and warned of possible further delays and cost overruns. "We are evaluating the risks to further slippage on the planned late May handover date for Glen Sannox, the cascade impacts onto Hull 802 and the overall costs to complete impacts for both ships," he wrote. Ardossan's Irish berth permanently shut due to safety concerns - BBC News Ardrossan harbour's Irish berth is to permanently close due to safety concerns. The berth has been used by CalMac since May as it is the only dock that can be used by the catamaran MV Alfred, which was chartered for the Arran crossing. The ferry has been operating a freight service from Troon since Tuesday, while inspections on the berth took place. A second ferry - the MV Isle of Arran - continues to operate a single vessel service from Ardrossan to Brodick. The closure comes due to wear and tear caused by increased use of the berth. MV Alfred services on the route were paused in mid-January to allow for dive inspections on the berth to take place. The inspections found that extended and regular use has caused accelerated wear and tear to its structure, making it unsafe. The MV Alfred is owned by Pentland Ferries. It joined the CalMac fleet on loan to help service the Arran-Ardrossan route while the regular ferry MV Caledonian Isles undergoes engine repairs.

Man who abducted girl while dressed as woman fails in bid to cut sentence - BBC News A man who abducted a primary school girl while dressed as a woman has had a bid to cut his sentence refused. Andrew Miller was jailed last year for 20 years after subjecting the girl to a series of sexual assaults. Lawyers for Miller, 54, also known as Amy George, claimed that sentence was "excessive" and put "too much weight" on his identity. Appeal judges considered those claims and his early guilty plea but concluded his jail term should not be reduced. Miller was sentenced in October for the offences committed in the Scottish Borders in February 2023. He admitted charges of abduction, sexual assault, watching pornography in the presence of the child under the age of 13, and possessing 242 indecent images of children. He was given an extended sentence comprising 20 years in jail and a further eight on licence under supervision in the community. Advocate Victoria Dow, representing Miller, argued that too much importance had been given to his dressing as a woman at the time of the abduction. She said he had a "trans" identity and had lived and presented as a woman for "many years". Lord Arthurson said the crime was "frankly nauseating in its level of depravity and criminal deviance" and the abduction had been "brazen and chilling". In a written judgement, Lord Carloway concluded that the sentence issued had been appropriate.